Select Board Votes 4-1 On Chestnut Hill Rezoning Draft

Select Board · Meeting of February 24, 2026

Brookline Select Board voted 4-1 twice Tuesday on a contested rezoning plan and disputed tree removal. Member Paul Warren was the lone vote against directing the Planning Department to draft warrant articles for a Chestnut Hill Commercial Area rezoning that could allow buildings up to 14 stories, calling the deal with developer City Realty a "half-assed negotiation" that is "doomed to fail" at Town Meeting. Member John Van Skoyak cast the sole vote against upholding the Tree Planting Committee's approval to remove 96 trees along Beacon Street for an MBTA Green Line accessibility project; 98 trees will be replanted.

The board also reviewed $910,000 in fiscal 2028 fire department contract costs and an $800,000 projected police overtime deficit that would hit if a planned property tax override fails, and approved a $25,000 reserve fund transfer for an updated Clifton Larson Allen school finance report.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Brookline's community access TV: Select Board meeting, February 24, 2026
• The complete report: 1,029 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of February 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.